Hon Hekia Parata

Minister of Education

Hon Nikki Kaye

Associate Minister of Education

1 June 2016

Media Statement

Government continues to invest in school property in Auckland

Around $153 million will be invested in school property in greater Auckland as part of Budget 2016, Education Minister Hekia Parata and Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye announced at Ormiston Primary School today.

This investment includes:

• $19 million for a new primary school in Hingaia South (planned roll of 700)

• $7.3 million to expand Ormiston Primary School to cater for a roll of 720 (up from 300 currently)

• Around $100 million for four new schools which will be delivered as part of public private partnerships (PPPs):

- Kumeu Primary (planned roll of 700)

- Scott Point Primary (planned roll of 900)

- Flat Bush South East Primary (planned roll of 700)

- Ormiston Junior College (planned roll of 1,130)

• $18 million for 45 new roll growth classrooms and 13 replacement classrooms announced in July 2015, which now have final approval

• $9 million for 18 new roll growth classrooms over three additional schools.

“Ormiston Junior College is being delivered as part of the Government’s second PPP, and is scheduled to open in 2017. The other three public private partnership schools will be delivered under our third PPP, which was announced last December,” says Ms Parata.

“More than a third of the country’s population now lives in the Auckland region. The Government is investing heavily in our largest city to ensure schools have flexible learning spaces and the capacity to deal with future growth.

“This new investment comes on the back of nearly a quarter of a billion dollars invested by the Government over the past two years to upgrade and grow Auckland schools.”

Ms Kaye says that in July last year, it was announced that 51 Auckland schools would receive a total of 239 roll growth classrooms and 52 replacement classrooms over an 18 month-period.

“I am pleased to confirm that 122 of these classrooms have been delivered or are in construction. Another 153 are in the planning, design or preconstruction phase, and 16 have been identified for modular classroom delivery,” says Ms Kaye.

“A group of these projects announced last year, covering 45 roll growth classrooms and 13 replacement classrooms, require additional funding and this will be provided from Budget 2016. Final approval has now been given for these projects.

“I am also pleased to confirm that as part of the 480 roll growth classrooms announced under Budget 2016, we will provide additional new classrooms for Auckland.”

The first allocation of $9 million will provide:

• four new classrooms at Helensville School

• two new classrooms at Stanmore Bay School

• 12 new classrooms at Mount Albert Grammar School (this is in addition to 12 recently completed classrooms).

Ms Kaye says the Government is using a range of levers to support schools to manage growth, from enrolment zones to additional classrooms and new schools.

“I can confirm that since 2014, as a result of the Auckland roll growth programme, school redevelopments, new schools and the projects green-lighted so far under Budget 2016, we will deliver more than 17,000 new student places by 2019,” says Ms Kaye.

“It’s my expectation that we will announce more classroom projects this year, and more new schools and classrooms in the coming years.”

Ms Parata says building new classrooms can often span financial years, so a flexible funding model is needed to continue momentum, complete projects and start new ones.

“Where it’s possible and appropriate, we’ve been ensuring that site works at schools today allow for future development,” says Ms Parata.

Ms Kaye says that following a review of how it acquires land for schools, the Ministry of Education is also looking further ahead with its planning and identifying earlier where it may need land.

“It makes sense to be looking 20 to 30 years into the future. It’s also important that the Ministry has its place at the table when local authorities and infrastructure providers carry out planning for high-growth areas,” says Ms Kaye.

Ms Parata says that by acting now, the Government is aiming to get ahead of future demand to accommodate growth that could be felt by schools downstream.

“We’re committed to ensuring that areas of high population growth continue to have enough space for students to learn comfortably,” says Ms Parata.

“Today’s announcement represents a huge investment which shows the Government is committed to meeting the needs of students in our fastest growing city, now and into the future.”

Media contacts:

Glenn Donovan (Hon Nikki Kaye) 021 405 289

Nick Venter (Hon Hekia Parata) 021 803 519

Notes

Latest investment in Auckland schools - context

• This spending is part of an $882.5 million investment in education infrastructure announced as part of this year’s Budget

• Budget 2016 more than doubles the education infrastructure spend of last year’s Budget

• This Government has committed around $5 billion to school property, significantly more than any previous government

• The cost to build a new school classroom is typically in the range of $300,000 to $400,000

• To ensure we get better value for money, the Government has considered different procurement methods to deliver schools, which is why some schools will be built under a PPP

• More announcements about education infrastructure investments as part of Budget 2016 will be made in the coming weeks

Overview of school redevelopments announced 2014/15 and 2015/16

• Western Springs College, $74.6 million

• Takapuna Grammar School, $26.4 million

• Balmoral School, $24.4 million

• Southern Cross Campus, $23.5 million

• The Gardens School, $22 million

• Koru School, $20.5 million

• Freemans Bay School, $13 million

• Sherwood School, $12 million

• Ellerslie Primary School, $10.4 million

• Bayfield School, $10.3 million

• Redhill School, $9.99 million

• Total $247.09 million

ENDS

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